Volume 6 • Issue 4 • 1000189 J Biosens Bioelectron ISSN: 2155-6210 JBSBE, an open access journal Research Article Open Access Morrison et al., J Biosens Bioelectron 2015, 6:4 DOI: 10.4172/2155-6210.1000189 *Corresponding author: John N Daigle, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi, USA, Tel: 662-915-5371; E-mail: wcdaigle@olemiss.edu Received November 06, 2015; Accepted November 16, 2015; Published November 26, 2015 Citation: Morrison M, Daigle JN, Ralston J (2015) A Biosensing Approach for Detecting and Managing Head Injuries in American Football. J Biosens Bioelectron 6: 189. doi:10.4172/2155-6210.1000189 Copyright: © 2015 Morrison M, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Keywords: Mild traumatic brain injury; Second impact syndrome; Telemetry system Introduction Our objective is to contribute to the development of an evolving platform for research, development, and application of state-of-the art devices and practices for the prevention, detection, and management of head injuries across the board. A comprehensive platform using X2 Biosystems xPatch device, which measures linear and rotational acceleration about all axes and utilizes impact detection algorithms to determine the characteristics of an impact, and a telemetry system providing secure and reliable transmission of impact data to athletic trainers and coaches in real time, will permit informed and easy-to- use data for coaches and trainers at all levels to mitigate head impacts. We used head impact profles in this pilot study to provide a proactive and prescriptive approach to reducing head impacts to athletes through education and improved hitting form, providing a healthier environment for participation in athletics. We turn to a review of some basic facts that motivate our work. According to the 2000 US. Census, 50 million youth were involved in organized sports [1-5]. Approximately 57% of high school students participated in at least one sport [6], and that participation in sport participation increased by over 350% between 1990 and 2008. Female athletic participation has increased from 294,000 in 1971 to 3.1 million in 2009 [7]. Sports contribute to promotion of virtues through teamwork, respect, and dedication [8], reduction of the risk of type 2 diabetes, improvement of metabolic and musculoskeletal health, reduction of the risk of obesity, and increased probability of improved health in adulthood [9]. Sports with high rates of concussion include football, soccer, lacrosse, and hockey. Te increase in youth sports, as well as the growing popularity of collegiate and professional sports, has led to growing concerns about concussions and mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) sufered during play. In 2006, middle school football player Zack Lystedt returned to a game afer enduring a concussion and reporting head pain. Zack sufered a life threatening brain injury due to playing with symptoms from a concussion, which resulted in difuse cerebral swelling, brain herniation, coma, and permanent brain damage. Return-to-play (RTP) protocols have been implemented throughout the country as the result of the Lystedt Law, which was passed in the state of Washington in 2009 and mandates concussion education for young athletes and parents, immediate removal of an athlete suspected of a concussion, and implementation of RTP protocols. Te National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the National Football League (NFL) have implemented RTP protocols for athletes who sustain head impacts during the course of the game. All 50 states have passed new laws that require young athletes to be examined by a trained medical professional before they are cleared to returning to play. Concussion education and management tools are increasingly used to reduce an athlete’s susceptibility to cumulative or catastrophic A Biosensing Approach for Detecting and Managing Head Injuries in American Football Matthew Morrison 1 , John N Daigle 1 and John Ralston 2 * 1 Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi, USA 2 X2 Biosystems, Seattle, Washington, USA Abstract We describe our real-time biosensing approach to detecting and managing head impacts in football at the University of Mississippi as well as Heads in the Game, our high school outreach program. Our work is in response to the fact that sports are the second leading cause of traumatic brain injury for people aged between 15 and 24 years [1,2]. Additionally, the Center for Disease Control estimates indicate that 5,000 concussions occur at the high-school level for every concussion in the NFL, and that 3.8 million sports brain injuries occur annually. Mild Traumatic Brain Injures (mTBI) are often not reported in high school football due to injury underestimation, motivation to remain in play, and lack of awareness. Resources and education for improved athlete concussion management reduces the player's susceptibility to cumulative or catastrophic brain injuries [3]. Our system uses X2 Biosystem’s xPatch 6DOF mounted directly behind the player’s ear and features a secure wireless telemetry system for reporting head impacts in real time to an analysis system that is capable of reporting the major characteristics of the impact in near real time. Collected data will also contribute to understanding the potential long-term effects of brain injuries such as second impact syndrome (SIS) [4]. Pilot studies with the University of Mississippi football team show signifcant reduction of head impacts through improved form and education, by reducing the overall head impact, improving impact distribution, and reducing dangerous impacts, mechanisms for improving remove-from-play (RFP) and return-to-play (RTP) decisions, assessing impact severity, coaching and training, and understanding the pathology of mTBI and long-term brain injuries causing persistent cognitive impairment. We discuss research partnerships as well as the Heads in the Game program, a high school concussion research program with University of Mississippi Athletics. Journal of Biosensors & Bioelectronics J o u r n a l o f B i o s e n s s o r & B i o e l e c t r o n i c s ISSN: 2155-6210